Heater Questions

[mrcooper]

Here I am again )

As I mentioned in my intro, I'm in the market for a new heater.

Because of my gas piping situation (aprox 90' run of 1" black pipe) I started many years ago using the Hayward 100,000 BTU Heater. It's always done a good job for me but I will be on my 3rd or 4th heater now. This is over maybe 20 - 25 years, or when they first came out.

I'm a real die hard with the pool so I open it early...end of April or so and I've closed it as late as Halloween )

When I start the pool up the heater is turned on and basically stays on until I close the pool. My wife & I like it at 86 best. Sometimes in the summer I have to dial it back some because it gets too hot.

Over the years, I've replaced heat exchangers, gas valves, control boards, fans....the whole nine yards. I stopped going thru heat exchangers when I stopped putting tabs in the skimmer and started keeping my PH balanced.

As you might know the heat exchanger on the hayward is finned copper tubing. I see the Raypak is an additional 30,000 BTU's and might have a cupro nickle exchanger.

Given the 1" run of my gas line..... and the decent experience I've had with Hayward (I think it's decent but then again... I'm in a vaccuum here) My question is... Should I stay with the Hayward or switch it up to a Raypak or Pentair?

I haven't done any real research yet so I am taking the lazy route and asking any of you that have experienced the Hayward and have stuck with it or moved on.

I'm open to all idea's and recomendations but will not upgrade the gas line!

Thanks for listening..... I mean reading )

Cooper

 

[needsajet]

Definitely the water chemistry makes a difference, but sounds like you're onto it, and in any event I'll leave that and brands for others to comment.

In my past work life though, we often had to upgrade gas equipment. Very often, the installer was able to raise the pressure on a branch, or have the gas company do it at the regulator at the meter, and then adjust all the gas appliances accordingly. I have no idea if it's an option in residential, but it might be worth asking a gasfitter.

 

[mrcooper]

Definitely the water chemistry makes a difference, but sounds like you're onto it, and in any event I'll leave that and brands for others to comment.

In my past work life though, we often had to upgrade gas equipment. Very often, the installer was able to raise the pressure on a branch, or have the gas company do it at the regulator at the meter, and then adjust all the gas appliances accordingly. I have no idea if it's an option in residential, but it might be worth asking a gasfitter.

Thanks for the reply!

I did adjust the regulator to slightly raise the pressure at the heater when I installed the first one. My buddy has an inground with a 350,000 BTU heater and he has an 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 line running out to the pool and had to get a higher volume meter. The heater really does a fine job heating the pool. I'm just thinking the nickle exchanger may give me more life.

Cooper

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Raypacks get real positive feedback here on the forum.

Maddie

 

[mrcooper]

Thank you Maddie!

 

[RoxxW]

Raypacks get real positive feedback here on the forum.

Maddie

I'm with Maddie. Raypak heaters are more often positive feedback on this forum and this is the company I am thinking of going with.

 

[Pauls234]

I'll drop in my vote for raypak, it gets a lot of love on this forum. I've had mine for 3 seasons (since 2015) and love it.

 

[borjis]

Yep Raypak for the win.

Very happy with mine, installed a year ago.

on the nickle exchanger, the consensus is that upgrade is considered wasted money fyi.

 

[mrcooper]

Thanks for all the Raypak feedback guys!